Description
Book SynopsisIn Sámi Nature-Centered Christianity in the European Arctic: Indigenous Theology beyond Hierarchical Worldmaking, Tore Johnsen unpacks the theological significance of North Sámi indigenous Christianity, demonstrating how the tension between Sámi nature-centered Christianity and official Norwegian Lutheranism has broad theological relevance. Focusing on Christian cosmological orientation, the author argues that this is not fully given within the Christian faith itself. It is partly shaped by the religio-philosophical frameworks that various historical receptions of Christianity were filtered through. The author substantiates that two different types of Christian cosmological orientation are negotiated in the North Sámi Christian experience: one reflecting a Sámi historical reception of Christianity primarily filtered through the egalitarian world intuition of the Sámi indigenous tradition; another reflecting official Norwegian Lutheranism, primarily filtered through a Greek hierarchical world construct passed down among European intellectual elites.
The argument is developed through thick description of local everyday Christianity among reindeer herding, river, and sea Sámi communities in Finnmark, Norway; through critical engagement with historical and contemporary Lutheranism; and through constructive dialogue with African and Native American theologies. The author suggests that the egalitarian, multi-relational logic of Sámi nature-centered Christianity points beyond the hierarchical binaries delimiting much of the theological imagination of dominant Christian theologies.
Table of ContentsIllustrations
Preface and Acknowledgments
Chapter One: Christian Worldmaking Reconsidered: The Sámi Arctic Speaks
Chapter Two: Doing Decolonial Theology in the European Arctic
Part I: Historical Analysis
Chapter Three: Deconstructing Historical Lutheran Discourses on the Sámi Tradition
Part II: Qualitative Analysis
Chapter Four: The Enacted Faith of Sámi Nature-centered Christianity
Chapter Five: The Religio-philosophical Framing of Local Sámi Everyday Christianity
Part III: Theological Analysis
Chapter Six: Theological Analysis through the Lens of African and Native American Theologies
Chapter Seven: Blessing Liturgy and Cosmological Orientation: A Critical Conversation with Norwegian Lutheranism
Chapter Eight: Christian Theology beyond Hierarchical Worldmaking: Sámi Contributions
Appendices
Appendix 1: List of Research Participants
Appendix 2: North Sámi-English Glossary
Appendix 3: Invitation Letter and Consent Form
Appendix 4: Interview Guide
Bibliography
Index
